Ron Paul’s support peaks on the eve of Iowa caucus

Republicans in the state of Iowa will gather today to cast their vote in the caucuses that will largely impact the presidential race, and all eyes are on Ron Paul as the Texas Congressman holds the lead in the polls.

Following the bow out of Herman Cain and a schizophrenic surge up and down in the popularity of his peers, Rep. Ron Paul has rocketed to the forefront of the Republican Party in recent week, passing the competing gang of politicians also vying for the nomination. By Tuesday night, America will know the results of the Iowa Caucuses and could indeed have a clear idea of who could take the GOP’s nomination and perhaps eventually the presidency.

The last few surveys conducted by the Des Moines Register and Public Policy Polling put Paul either above the other frontrunners or neck-and-neck at first place. The Iowa caucus, the first among many during the presidential election year, have historically played a role in the rest of the race leading up to November.

On Monday, Rep. Paul acknowledged the skyrocketing support that could propel him to victory today, but stayed strong in backing his word and the campaign promises he’s made.

“We, the people, are growing and I’m optimistic,” Paul said from Davenport, Iowa on Monday. That same day the politician found himself in Des Moines, IA and was welcomed by the same admiration as he did across state. “The enthusiasm is growing by leaps and bounds and crowds are getting bigger,” Paul said from Des Moines Marriott ballroom. What was expected to serve as a “whistlestop” on the road to caucus day turned into practically a party as droves turned out to show their support. That support, says Paul, comes from ideas that he willing to stand up for, much to the chagrin of his GOP peers.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one issue,” Paul said. “There’s one issue that has made America great, an issue that you can answer all your questions on is individual liberty.”

That point of view and others have made Paul a clear opponent of the ideologies largely shared by the competing pool of Republican candidates, and that option has allowed the congressman to accumulate a large fan base of likeminded youths.

It’s “young ideas” that Paul says puts him above the competition. “Freedom is a young idea,” he adds.

“He has tapped into something among young people . . . People here are sick of those wars, and they want the troops to come home,” David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, tells the Chicago Sun Times.
Paul spokesman Jesse Benton adds to ABC News that it’s much more than that. “He governs on principle. He is consistent and does not flip-flop. And he is the only candidate who will really cut the spending and balance the budget so we can get back on our feet and create jobs,” says Benton.